Love Rutledge
Chief of Staff
Department of Defense
Ms. A. Love Rutledge serves as the Chief of Staff to the Department of Defense’s first Chief Talent Management Officer. She previously served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Readiness and was selected to be a Truman National Security Project Fellow. Ms. Rutledge served on the Joint Staff (J-8) for nine years, focusing on global force management, readiness, and budgetary issues in Forces Division and the Program and Budget Analysis Division. Prior to the Joint Staff, she worked in Headquarters Marine Corps’ Office of the Assistant Commandant for Programs and Resources and the Department of Navy’s Office of Budget.
She holds a Bachelor’s in communication from Tulane University, a Master’s in Public Administration from The George Washington University, and a Master’s in Defense Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University. Ms. Rutledge earned the designation of Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and is a registered Scrum Master.
Ms. Rutledge is an Alabama native, wife and mother of two. Outside of work hours, she hosts a podcast for federal employees.